Door lock



W49 A. W. THOMAS 2,491,733

DOOR LOCK Filed Sept. 27, 1946 EWWW Patented en. 20, 1949 ED STATESPATENT OFFICE DOOR LOCK Arthur W. Thomas, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,887

9 Claims.

My invention relates to door locks, and particularly to a door latchingdevice of improved construction.

One object of my invention is to provide a door lock which is adjustablein width to adapt it to be applied to use with doors of various widthswithout altering the structure of the lock or door.

Another object is to provide a door lock which is adapted to be appliedto a door without the use of screws or other extraneous fasteningdevices which are apt to become loosened.

Another object is to provide a door lock having an improved means formounting the latch-bolt unit to adapt the unit for operation with eitherleft-hand or right-hand doors, such a mounting means beingself-adjusting to compensate for inaccuracies occurring in theright-angularly disposed holes in the door for accommodating the body ofthe lock and the latch-bolt unit.

Another object is to provide a door lock having an improved means formounting the slidable bolt-retracting member to effect free movementthereof while guarding against displacement thereof.

Another object is to provide a door lock having an efficient means foroperatively connecting the latch-bolt unit and bolt-retracting means forunitary movement.

, Another object is to provide a door lock device which is comparativelysimple in construction and highly efficient in operation.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecification which describes a preferred embodiment of the door look,by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing. In thedrawing:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a door showing my improveddoor lock applied to use therewith;

Fig.2 is a cross-sectional view through the door lock, taken on line2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View, taken on line i- 2! of Fig. 2.

Referrin to the drawing in detail, my improved door lock or doorlatching device is of the same general type as commonly employed oninside doors of buildings, although its use is not limited to suchinstallations. The door lock comprises a latch-bolt unit 5 and alatch-bolt actuating unit 6, the latch-bolt actuating unit beingdisposed in a hole 1 extending transversely of the door 8 and thelatch-bolt unit being inserted through a smaller hole 9 disposed atright angles to the hole I and drilled inwardly from the vertical edgeof the door.

The latch-bolt actuating unit 6 comprises a cylindrical sheet metalhousing I2 having a circular Wall I 3, a plate portion M at one end, anda peripheral flange [5 at its other end. The plate portion it has aradially extending slot l6 and the circular wall 13 has a longitudinalslot ll of narrower width than the slot 16, thus providing a pair oflongitudinal guides or keys I8 which are employed for a purpose to belater explained. The plate portion I4 is also provided with a pair ofdiametrically opposite bayonet slots 20, which are used for securing theactuating unit 6 on the door in the manner to be explained hereinafter.

Secured to the flange l5 of the housing 12 is a removable sheet metalcover member 22 having a central hub 23. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, themetal of the member 22 is slit on opposite sides of its horizontalcenter line and the material defined by the slits is folded laterally toprovide a pair of vertically spaced flanges 24 which. define ahorizontal guideway 25 therebetween. Retaining ears 26 are foldedvertically from the flanges 24 in overlying parallel relation to theplane of the member 22. Secured to the hub 23 is a sleeve 27 which formssubstantially a continuation of the hub. Adapted to rotate in the hub23, 27 is a tubular actuatin spindle 30, which may be held axially inplace in any suitable manner and which carries a door knob 31 at itsouter end. The inner end of the tubular spindle 39, that is, the endextending into the housing I2, is cut away transversely to provide anarcuate retractor-actuating portion 33. The cover member 22 also has alug 32 which aids in guiding the latch retractor member to .be laterdescribed. Also mounted on the hub 21 is a circular escutcheon plate 34.

The latch-bolt actuating means 6 also includes a second spindle 36,which is rotatable in the hub portion 3'1 of a circular plate 38disposed against the other side of the door 8. The spindle 36 has aninner narrowed retractor-actuating portion 40 and at its outer endcarries a door knob 4|. An escutcheon plate 42 is mounted on the hub 3'!of the plate 38. The spindle 36 preferably is held axially in place bymeans of a spring-ring 43.

The narrowed portions 33 and 40 of the respective spindles 3i] and 36normally are disposed with the ends of their arcuate portions engagedagainst the side of a vertical portion l l of a latch-bolt retractormember 45. The member 45 also has a transverse vertical base portion 46,which rests against the inner surface of the plate 22 and is adapted toslide laterally thereagainst. The member 35, which is constructed fromsheet metal, has a pair of opposite laterally projecting arms or runnersAll which are connected by an arcuate portion 48. The connecting portion48 is provided with a finger i9 extending parallel to the axis of thespindles 3t and 36. The member 45 thus is adapted to slide laterally inthe guideway 25, and is held from displacement by the retaining cars 26which overlie the runners 41, see Figs. 2 and i. The latch-boltretractor member #15 normally is held in the position shown in Fig. 2under the influence of a coil spring 50 disposed between the verticalportion id and. the wall l3 of the housing l2, the ends of the springembracing lugs 5i and 52 on these parts. When either of the spindles stor 3% are rotated through substantially 180, in either direction fromthe position shown in Fig. 2, the ends of their arcuate portions 33 ortil act to slide the retractor member 45 toward the right, as viewed inthis figure, to retract the latch-bolt in the manner explainedhereinafter.

The latch-bolt unit 5 consists of a tubular bearing 55 of thin metaladapted to be slid inwardly into the transverse hole 9 of the door 8 andhaving a circular flange 55 at its outer end positioned against the edgeof the door. The bearing 55 has a pair of diametrically opposite slots57 (Fig. 3) adapted to receive the guide keys E8 of the housing l2. Thelatch-bolt 6% consists of a tubular sleeve 6i having an outer closed endor head 62, which is bevelled off on one side, as shown at $3 in Fig. 1,to adapt it to ride along the keeper of the look (not shown) and to isnap into the keeper opening, as is usual in looks or latching devicesof this general type. The sleeve portion Si is provided with a pair oflongitudinally extending slots iii; through which extends a springretainer element 6%. Disposed within the sleeve portion El is a coilspring 5? having its opposite ends engaging against the inner end of thehead 82 and the retainer element 66, respectively. The sleeve portioniii also has a pair of opposite transverse slots or open ings 68-adjacent its inner end, and it will be apparent that when the latch-boltunit 5 is installed in the door 8 and the finger d9 disposed in eitherof the slots 85, the latch-bolt 63 may be withdrawn from its keeper byrotating either of the spindles 3B or 36.

The present invention provides an improved means for installing thelatch-bolt actuating means 6 on doors of various thickness. To mountthis means on the door 8, the housing l2 together with its enclosedparts is slid into the opening 7 in the door from one side thereof, andwhen slid completely into the door its flange i5 abuts the side of thedoor. The escutcheon plate St is then slid against the side of the door8 to provide a neat joinder. After these parts have been disposed on thedoor, the assembly including the plate 38, spindle 36, knob ii, andescutcheon plate 42 is placed against the side of the door with theinner end 40 of the spindle 36 located in the operative position shownin the drawing. To retain the parts in place in the opening l of thedoor 8, I provide a pair of connecting pins or studs Ill, which aresuitably attached, as by riveting, to the inner surface of the plate 33.As shown in Fig. l, the pins it are provided with a plurality oflongitudinally-spaced circumferential slots ll, thus providing flangesor heads 72 between each two slots. The heads 82 are of a diameter topermit them to enter the enlarged openings H3 at the ends of the bayonetslots in the end wall it of the housing, and the slotted portions ll ofthe pins are of a diameter to perrnit them to slide in the slots 20. Itis thus apparent that by placing the plate 38 against the side of thedoor and entering the pins 10 in the enlarged portions 13 of the bayonetslots 20 and thereafter turning the plate in clockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 3, the several parts are assembled together onv the door.If preferred, the metal at the sides of the bayonet slots 20 may be bentto provide frictional resistance to turning of the pins iii in theslots. It is to be noted that by providing a plurality of the slots Hand heads 12 on the pins 18, the same latchbolt actuating means 6 may beemployed with doors of various thicknesses, the pins being of anysuitable length and the appropriate number of slots 5 i being providedfor this purpose.

Prior to mounting the retracting unit 6 on the door, the latch-bolt unit5 is slid into the hole El of the door 8, and as the housing [2 is slidinto the hole i the guide keys N3 of the latter are caused to enter theslots 51' in the sides of the tubular bearing member 55 to retain thelatch-bolt unit in the door. At the same time, the finger it enters oneof the slots or openings of the latch 69 to operatively connect thelatch and the retractor member 45. It is to be noted that the latch-boltunit 5 may be inserted in either of two positions so that the same unitcan be employed with either left or right-hand doors.

With the locking device installed in the door 3 in the manner explainedabove, it is ready for operation. To operate the device either knob 3%or all may be turned to cause the inner arcuate ends as or iii; of thespindles or 36 to urge the slidable retractor member toward the right,as viewed in Fig. 2. Sliding movement of the retractor member 45 in thisdirection against the action of the spring causes the finger 39 to drawthe latch-bolt 60 inwardly in the bearing against the influence of thespring to withdraw the inclined end 62 of the bolt from the keeper ofthe look. When the knob is released, the bolt till will be projectedoutwardly by the combined action of the springsand El. When the door isclosed against its jamb, the bolt he will yield to permit its end 62 toride across the keeper plate and then will be projected into the keeperopening in the usual manner.

It will be observed from the foregoing that my invention provides aparticularly simple, yet highly efficient looking or latching devicewhich may be employed on doors of wooden or metal construction. As onefeature of improvement, the present invention provides a simple meansfor adapting the locking device to be installed on doors of variousthicknesses without the use of screws or other separate fastening means,as used in prior locking devices of conventional types. The inventionfurther provides a new and improved bolt-retracting member and means forslidably mounting this member within the housing of the lock andconnecting it to the bolt. As a still further improvement, my inventionprovides an ingenious means for retaining the latchbolt assembly withinthe door, and this means consists solely of the simple interengagingkeyand-slot connection between the latch-bolt unit and the latch-boltactuating unit. The locking device thus may be readily and quicklyinstalled by a relatively inexperienced workman.

While I have herein shown and described the improved door lock asembodied in a preferred form of construction, by way of example, it willbe understood that various modifications may be made therein withoutdepartment from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, withoutlimiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door: a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door and including aslidable latch-bolt; spring means normally operative to project theouter end of said latch-bolt outwardly from the edge of said door; alatch-bolt actuating unit insertable in a transverse opening in saiddoor and including a housing having an open end and a slot through whichthe inner end of said latch-bolt extends, said actuating unit alsoincluding a plate member adapted to enclose said open end of saidhousing and having a traverse guideway; a retractor member slidable insaid gnidevvay and operatively connected with the inner end of thelatch-bolt, ears on said plate member overlying portions of saidretractor memher for retaining the same in said guideway; and means formoving said retractor in said guideway.

2. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door; a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door and including aslidable latch-bolt provided with an aperture adjacent its inner end;spring means normally operative to project the outer end of saidlatch-bolt outwardly from the edge of said door; a latch-bolt actuatingunit insertable in a transverse opening in said door and including ahousing having an open end and a slot through which the inner end ofsaid latch-bolt extends, said actuating unit also including a platemember adapted to enclose said open end of said honing and having atransverse guideway; a retractor member slidable in said guideway andprovided with a finger engageable in the aperture of said latch-bolt;ears on said plate member overlying portions of said retractor memberfor retaining the same in said guideway; and means for moving saidretractor in said guideway.

3, In a lock structure adapted for use on a door: a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door and including aslidable latch-bolt; spring means normally operative to project theouter end of said latch-bolt outward- 1y from the edge of said door; alatch-bolt actuating unit insertable in a transverse opening in saiddoor and including a housing having an open end and a slot through whichthe inner end of said latch bolt extends, said actuating unit alsoincluding a plate member adapted to enclose said open end of saidhousing and having a transverse guideway; a retractor member havingopposite runners slidable in said guideway and a connecting portionoperatively connected with the inner end of the latch-bolt, saidretractor mem her also having a plate portion extending between saidrunners; ears on said plate member overlying portion of said retractormember for retaining the same in said guideway; and means for movingsaid retractor in said guideway.

4. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door: a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door and including aslidable latch-bolt provided with an aperture adjacent its inner end;spring means normally operative to project the outer end of saidlatch-bolt outwardly from the edge of said door; a latch-bolt actuatingunit insertable in a transverse opening in said door and includingahousing having an open end and a slot through which the inner end ofsaid latch-bolt extends, said actuating unit also includinga platemember adapted to enclose said open end of said housing and having atransverse guideway; a retractor member having 0pposite runners slidablein said guideway and a connecting portion provided with a fingerengageable in the aperture of said latch-bolt, said retractor memberalso having a plate portion extending between said runners; ears on saidplate member overlying portions of said retractor memher for retainingthe same in said guideway; and means for moving said retractor in saidguideway.

In a lock structure adapted for use on a door: a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door; and a latch-boltactuating unit including a cylindrical housing adapted for insertion ina transverse opening in said door, said housing having a flangeengageable against one side of said door, and also provided with an endwall disposed in said transverse opening, said end Wall being providedwith at least one arcuate bayonet slot, a plate engageable against theother side of said door, and. at least one pin on said plate engageablein said. bayonet slot to detachably connect said plate and said end wallto retain said housing in said transverse opening of said door, said pinhaving a plurality of longitudinally spaced beads, each adapted toengage the edges of said bayonet slot whereby to permit attachment ofsaid actuating unit to doors of various thicknesses.

6. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door: a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door; and a latch-boltactuating unit including a cylindrical housing adapted for insertion ina transverse opening in said door, said housing having a flangeengageable against one side of said door, and also provided with an endwall disposed in said transverse opening, said end wall being providedwith a pair of arcuate bayonet slots, and a pair of pins on said plateengageable in said bayonet slots to detachably connect said plate andsaid end wall to retain said housing in said transverse opening of saiddo or, said pins having a plurality of longitudinally spaced beads, eachadapted to engage the edges of said bayonet slots whereby to permitattachment of said actuating unit to doors of various thicknesses.

'7. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door; a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door; a latch-bolt actuatingunit insertable in a transverse opening in said door; means forinterconnecting said units; said latch-bolt unit including a tubularbearing member, a latch-bolt slidable in said earing member, and havinga pair of longitudinal slots at its opposite sides and a latchingportion at its outer end; a retainer element extending transverselyacross said bearing member and through said longitudinal slots; and acoil spring engageable between said retaining element and saidlatch-bolt, said spring being normally operative to project saidlatch-bolt outwardly; said latch-bolt actuating unit being operativelyconnected to said latch-bolt for moving the same against the action ofsaid spring.

8. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door; a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door; a latch-bolt actuatingunit insertable in a transverse opening in said door; means forinterconnecting said units; said latch-bolt unit including a tubularbearing memher, a hollow tubular latch-bolt slidable in said bearingmember, and having a pair of longitudinal slots at its opposite sidesand a latching portion at its outer end; a retainer element extendingtransversely across said bearing member and through said longitudinalslots; and a coil spring positioned within the tubular latch-bolt andengageable between said retainer element and the forward end portion ofsaid latch-bolt, said spring being normally operative to project saidlatch-bolt outwardly; said latch-bolt actuating unit being operativelyconnected to said latchbolt for moving the same against the action ofsaid spring.

9. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door; a latch-bolt unitinsertable in an opening in an edge of said door; a latch-bolt actuatingunit insertable in a transverse opening in said door; means forinterconnecting said units; said latch-bolt unit including a, tubularbearing memher and a latch-bolt axially reciprocable therein, thelatch-bolt having an aperture adjacent its inner end and a latchingportion at its outer end; said latch-bolt actuating unit including ahousing; and a manually operable retractor member slidable transverselyWithin said housing, said retractor member being provided with a fingerextending transversely through the aperture of said latch-bolt forretracting the latter.

' ARTHUR W. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 812,904 Voight Feb. 20, 19061,751,101 Schlage Mar. 18, 1930 1,843,143 Rymer Feb. 2, 1942 1,876,079Schlage Sept. 6, 1932

